Golf: NZ fight back only to lose at last hole

By Graham Skellern

The New Zealand women's golf team dropped the pressure-filled last holes in two matches to lose 4-2 against favourites and rivals Australia in the opening round of the Commonwealth Tournament in Vancouver yesterday.

After a grand comeback, Catherine Knight and Pam Sowden were all square playing the 18th in their morning foursomes against Lindsey Wright and Helen Beatty.

Knight's putt for birdie lipped out and then Sowden missed the 1.5 metre return putt for bogey to hand the Australians the match 1-up.

The New Zealand pair had recovered from four down after six holes with a three-birdie stretch between the 7th and 10th holes.

Sowden was all square playing the par-five 17th hole in her singles against Beatty who chipped and one-putted for birdie to go 1-up. Sowden left her chip short and two-putted - and then halved the final hole with Beatty.

New Zealand's No 1, Lisa Aldridge, remained unbeaten, winning her singles against Rebecca Stevenson 2 and 1 after being three down in five holes. Both golfers fired five birdies on the Marine Drive course, scene of the New Zealand men's world Eisenhower Trophy triumph in 1992.

Aldridge combined with Tina Howard to win their foursomes against Stevenson and Tamie Durdin 2 and 1, closing out the game with a matching birdie on the 17th.

"All the games [against Australia] went down to the wire, but we need to read the greens better.

They are sloping and bumpy and the sneaky downhill putts can easily slip by the hole. We are not used to that at home," said Aldridge.

In the other tie of the first round Great Britain beat South Africa 5-1, while the hosts Canada had the bye. New Zealand had the bye this morning and plays Canada tomorrow.